San Antonio Spurs
The Spurs are up to their old tricks again. They drafted perfectly in the first round,
selecting Luka Samanic and Keldon Johnson at #19 and #29. These players should have never slipped that
far, and consequently the Spurs have jumped back into the top tier in the
West. Both players could and should
break the starting lineup in a relatively short time, taking San Antonio from a
team that could have been considering a rebuild to one that is back in the
conversation for a Western Conference title.
Keldon Johnson is one of the most intense competitors in this
draft. He’s an explosive athlete who
plays incredibly hard on both ends. He
has elite size, length, and quickness, and he was one of the most impactful
players in college basketball this season.
Johnson is an amazing defensive player capable of guarding
anyone. He’s extremely versatile on that
end, and it’s obvious that he loves the challenge of stopping the opponent’s
star player. His length makes him a
terror on the ball and in the passing lanes, and he’s also great on the boards
and defending the rim.
Offensively Keldon has shown glimpses of every skill you’d
want, but he still has lots of room for improvement. He’s a good shooter with deep range, but I
know he’ll work relentlessly to get even better. He’s a solid ball handler and passer, but he
can get much better. He’s a very good
finisher around the rim with a nice mid-range game, and he relishes any
opportunity to throw down a massive dunk.
He’s always attacking with his relentless motor, and as he continues to
polish his game he’s going to transform into a total beast.
Johnson is a clutch player who wants the big shot, but it was
clear he took a back seat to P.J. Washington this season. This kid has a chance to be special, and he
wound up dropping way too far due to his role for Kentucky this season.
Luka Samanic’s performance at the NBA Combine should have
earned him a lottery pick, but he was an absolute steal at #19. He has great size and length and uses it very
well. He’s an extremely tough competitor
who’s always aggressive on both ends of the floor.
Samanic has a very good handle, allowing him to push the ball
up the floor immediately after grabbing a rebound. He’s able to get by his man off the dribble
and make the right decision once he does.
He’s a great shooter with deep range, a good finisher around the rim,
and a great passing big man who finds an open teammate when the shot isn’t
there for him.
Samanic is an incredibly smart player who always seems to be
in the right place. He moves extremely
well and has great awareness on both ends.
He plays with tremendous effort, hustle, and anticipation. He’s a great rebounder with strong, sure
hands, and the ball is almost always his if he can get a hand on it. He defends the rim and rotates perfectly in
help position. He’s a confident player
who’s not afraid of anyone, and he could potentially turn into the #1 option for
this team down the road.
While I probably would have gone in a different
direction from Quinndary Witherspoon at #49 (most likely undrafted players Louis
King or Charlie Brown Jr.), I don’t hate the pick. Witherspoon is an extremely skilled player,
but I have major questions about his motor.
Despite this he could still find a way to offer his scoring prowess to a
Spurs team that now has a realistic chance to win the West.
Memphis Grizzlies
While the Memphis Grizzlies certainly got lucky to land the #2 pick, they took full advantage by selecting what I think is the best player in the draft in Ja Morant. They then executed a trade that brought Brandon Clarke to Memphis, giving them two players who are ready to play right away.
Up to this point Zion Williamson has gotten most of the hype,
but Ja Morant will be the best player from the 2019 NBA Draft. Point guard is one of the deepest and most
talented positions in the NBA, and Morant has a real chance to be the best of
them all.
Morant has a nearly perfect handle, able to control the ball
in every way imaginable. He understands
how and when to change speeds, and he has all the gears. He has very good size, length, and incredible
athleticism, and he attacks the defense with measured aggression. He gets wherever he wants to on the floor. He has the ability to make shots from
anywhere and from any angle, but he’s also able to deliver a perfect pass to a
teammate from even the most difficult spots.
He understands the exact speed he needs to put on each pass. He sees everything, and he usually makes the
best decision.
His vision and passing ability are already among the best of
any player I’ve ever watched. He’s
incredibly unselfish despite his immense talent, a trait that becomes
contagious with his teammates. His
Murray State squad wasn’t anywhere close to the most talented team, but they
moved the ball as well as anyone. That
kind of ball movement with highly-capable NBA players surrounding him is how
championships are won.
Morant has a huge vertical leap, and he’s an exceptional
finisher around the rim with great body control. He’s able to rise above any defender for a
savage dunk, but he’s also more than capable of finishing with floaters and
acrobatic reverses. He’s a very good
shooter, and he can get even better.
He’s extremely confident and wants the ball in the biggest moments, and
he’s going to deliver more often than not.
He can easily create his own shot whenever he wants, but he’s just as
brilliant creating an open shot for a teammate.
He’s a big-time closer and will help the Grizzlies become a team that
plays well in pressure situations.
What really separates Morant is his combination of elite
skill and athleticism, effort, and intelligence. He’s such a smart player, and he played
nearly perfect for a majority of his minutes this season. He plays extremely hard, but he’s efficient
at the same time. He’s fiercely
competitive, but he understands that he doesn’t have to do it all himself. He just has an understanding of the game that
you don’t see very often, with the physical tools to put that knowledge to use
against any opponent.
He’ll very likely lead the NBA in assists at some point,
probably many times, and he’ll also grab more than his share of rebounds. He’ll be a triple-double threat every night,
but he’ll do it much more intelligently and efficiently than Russell Westbrook
does. His Memphis teams will be more
successful.
Usually a player this good offensively isn’t the best
defender, but he’s very good on that end too.
Ja Morant really has no weaknesses, and I can’t wait to see how much
better he’ll get.
Brandon Clarke is an incredibly strong and athletic big man
who will provide immediate help defensively and on the boards. He showed impressive timing and anticipation on
the defensive end at Gonzaga, and he’s capable of guarding all positions on the
floor. Offensively he finishes well
around the rim with power, and he’s also displayed a nice floater and mid-range
game. If he continues to improve his jump-shot
he’ll become a force on that end of the floor as well.
The Grizzlies improved drastically in the 2019 NBA Draft,
while also adding Grayson Allen and Jae Crowder in the Mike Conley trade. An incredible offseason will take this
Memphis squad from an NBA bottom-dweller to a potential playoff team right
away.
New York Knicks
The New York Knicks had to have a good offseason this
year, and so far they’ve nailed it.
Their selection of R.J. Barrett was a no-brainer at #3, but their acquisition
of Ignas Brazdeikis after he was selected 47th was downright
brilliant. I viewed Brazdeikis as a
definite first-round talent who was potentially worthy of a lottery selection,
and I know his drop to the late second-round will add even more fuel to what is
already a raging competitive fire.
Brazdeikas plays with a toughness and
confidence that sets the tone for his team and rubs off on teammates. He’s extremely strong and fearless, and he
seems to thrive on contact. He’s a
relentless competitor who plays with great effort and energy. His hustle and toughness make him a great
rebounder and usually the first to a loose ball, and he obviously loves doing
the dirty work that most players don’t do.
He seems to be right in the middle of every play.
Brazdeikas has a very
polished all-around skill-set to go with his elite motor. He’s got a solid handle that enables him to
get by his man. He can get all the way
to the rim and finish with either hand, or find a teammate for an open
look. He’s always on the attack and
extremely aggressive going to the basket, and he relishes the opportunity to
thrown down a huge dunk on his opponent.
He’s a good shooter with deep range as well, and he’s shown the ability
to make step-backs and other tough shots.
His size, strength,
and competitive drive make him a great defender as well. He was a big part of Michigan’s top-rated
defense, and he never backs down from any challenge. Brazdeikas will immediately bring toughness
and a more aggressive mindset to the Knicks.
This guy is a winner.
R.J. Barrett came in
as the #1 prospect this season, but he was clearly outshined by his Duke
teammate Zion Williamson. Barrett was
still extremely effective, and he displayed a well-rounded game and leadership that
will make him a great asset for a New York franchise in need of direction.
Barrett has great
size, length and athleticism, with the versatility to play up to three
positions on both ends of the floor.
He’s an intense competitor who’s always on the attack, and he can get
buckets in every way imaginable.
Barrett has a great
handle and is able to combine that with his size and quickness to get wherever
he wants on the floor. He’s a phenomenal
finisher around the rim, and he’s got the size and strength to finish amongst
the trees. He has the ability to get his
shot whenever he wants, but he also possesses the vision and passing ability to
find open teammates when the shot isn’t there for him. His combination of size, effort, and
athleticism make him a great rebounder as well, and he’ll be a triple-double threat
every single night.
Right now Barrett
isn’t the best shooter, but he’s decent and will almost certainly get
better. He knocks down open shots and
has a really good mid-range game, but he’s inconsistent shooting off the
dribble or on the move. He really
struggles at the free throw line, and he’ll need to get much better there to
take the next step as a scorer. Despite
this he’s extremely confident and wants the ball with the game on the line. He’s a clutch performer, and I fully expect
him to keep developing and expanding his game.
Defensively Barrett
is a monster. He’s relentlessly
aggressive, and his size and length make him a difficult matchup for
anyone. He’s good on the ball and in the
passing lanes, and he also challenges shots at the rim. Barrett has all the skills to be a great
player in the NBA, and an argument could definitely have been made for taking
him as high as #1.
Adding two incredibly
skilled and ruthlessly competitive players will result in a huge leap for the
New York Knicks next season. They’re
still probably too young to reach the playoffs, but if second-year players
Allonzo Trier, Kevin Knox, and Mitchell Robinson can make big improvements this
offseason and the New York can sign a marquee free agent, the Knicks will have
a chance to compete for one of the last playoff spots in the East. Even if they don’t do it next year, the
future looks much brighter in New York.
New Orleans Pelicans
The Pelicans were obviously crowned one of the big
winners simply by landing the #1 pick, but they also made some solid acquisitions
after taking Zion Williamson. New
Orleans added Jaxon Hayes, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and Marcos Louzada Silva
through trades, and all three players could develop into valuable contributors
down the road.
By this point anyone who watches basketball knows all about
Zion Williamson. He’s got incredible
strength and freakish athleticism, and he simply bullied his opponents this
season. He’s a great finisher at the rim
with power, and virtually no one could stop him from getting there. He plays with phenomenal energy and effort on
both ends of the floor, and he was definitely one of the most impactful players
in college basketball this season.
Defensively Zion is a beast.
His strength and quickness give him the versatility to guard multiple
positions, and he loves using his leaping ability to block shots at the
rim. He’s a monster on the boards as
well, and he’s usually the most likely to come up with a loose ball. When you play with that much passion and
intensity, a lot of times the ball finds you.
Offensively Zion can get much better. He’s a good shooter with 3-point range, but
he’s not the best if he’s not set. He
doesn’t handle the ball very well, and he has trouble creating and making his
shot off the bounce. He didn’t need to
do much of that in college, as he simply used his size, strength, and
athleticism to get easy buckets around the rim.
While he’ll still be able to do this in the NBA, it will be much harder
for him to simply bully his way to the rim and dunk on people.
There’s going to be an adjustment period for Zion Williamson
at the next level, and he could very well struggle with poor shooting and
turnovers early on. He’s obviously a
huge draw and will bring in tons of fans, but I’m not convinced he’ll be the
best player from this draft class. He’s
drawn comparisons to LeBron, but he doesn’t handle or pass the ball anywhere
near as well as LeBron. Williamson does
appear to play a little bit harder, but at this point in his career he’s not
nearly as skilled a player as James was.
Ball handling and developing his shot off the bounce will be key factors
in how good Zion can become.
Jaxson Hayes was acquired from the Hawks after being selected
#8. While Hayes is not ready to play
right away, he has enormous potential.
He’s incredibly long and athletic and runs the court extremely well, but
he has to get much stronger and expand his offensive game before he’s truly
ready to play in the NBA. He understands
the game and has shown an impressive ability to pass the ball, but when it
comes to scoring he’s pretty much just a dunker right now.
Hayes is a big-time rim defender who also reads the ball well
off of missed shots, and as he continues to add strength he could potentially
turn into a defensive monster. I love
this kid’s future, but he’s not quite there yet.
The Pelicans also picked up Nickeil Alexander-Walker in a
trade. Much like Jaxson Hayes,
Alexander-Walker needs to add strength before he’ll be a major presence in the
NBA. However, the former Virginia Tech
product possesses an incredibly well-rounded offensive and defensive game that
is ready for the big leagues now.
He’s got great length, quickness, and anticipation that made
him one of college basketball’s top defenders and steals leaders last
season. Offensively he’s got every skill
in the book. He has a really good handle
that enables him to get anywhere he needs to go. He’s a very good passer, and he did an
admirable job running the point for his Hokies after their starting point guard
went down with an injury. He’s a great
shooter and scorer capable of making shots from all over the floor. He finishes well around the rim and
consistently makes floaters and other difficult mid-range shots. Alexander-Walker will give New Orleans yet
another ball-handler capable of playing multiple positions and knocking down
shots.
After a very difficult season where superstar Anthony Davis forced his way out of town, the Pelicans have recovered nicely and seem primed to compete for a playoff spot in a wide open Western Conference.
Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks just got a lot better, but it’s the
player who was drafted lowest that I think will make the biggest impact. The Hawks acquired 4th overall
pick De’Andre Hunter in a trade, then followed that up by picking Cameron
Reddish #10. These two talented wings
will be a big help, but the acquisition of former Maryland center Bruno
Fernando in another trade could take this team to the next level.
Bruno Fernando is the center most
ready to step in and play right away. He
has elite size, strength, and athleticism, and he plays with tremendous effort
and intensity at both ends of the floor.
He’s the perfect anchor defensively, seemingly always in the right spot
to defend the rim. He has the strength
and toughness to hold his position in the post, with the agility and
athleticism to quickly move for blocks and rebounds. He grabs tons of boards out of his area, and
he cleans up a lot of his teammates’ mistakes.
He’s an intimidating presence inside, and he’s got a chance to become
one of the better centers in the league.
For a team that wasn’t very good defensively last season, Fernando is a
huge pickup.
On top of being a great defender,
Fernando has all the skills you’d want offensively as well. He’s always extremely active setting great
screens, and he moves to the correct spot afterwards. He’s able to make the defense pay by catching
lobs, making great moves in the post, or stepping out for an open jumper. He’s a very good shooter with 3-point
range. He makes his free throws. He has a decent jump hook and a great spin
move, and he finishes very well around the rim.
His strength allows him to finish powerfully through contact, and he’s
nearly impossible to stop if he gets in the air. Playing alongside an elite passer in Trae
Young should maximize Fernando’s offensive impact.
Bruno is a very good decision-maker
who passes well out of double teams.
Sometimes he’s too unselfish, but I love the all-around skill-set he
has. Getting him after he fell to pick
#34 is one of the steals of the draft.
The two top-ten picks coming to
Atlanta give them great size and length on the wing. De’Andre Hunter is extremely versatile on
both ends of the floor. He plays with
great energy and is always on the attack.
He can handle a little bit and create his own shot, and he shoots it at
a very high clip. He’s a smart player
who makes the right play most of the time, and he’s shown the ability to get to
the rim or find an open teammate. Hunter
still has a lot of room to improve offensively, and he’s got the work ethic to
get there.
Defensively Hunter can guard up to
four positions. He’s wiry strong and is
good both on the ball and in help position.
He’s a great rebounder as well, and he’ll be extremely important in
changing this team’s defensive identity.
Cam Reddish is a very good shooter
with great size and length. He has
incredibly deep range, and he showed the ability to make clutch shots under
pressure on multiple occasions last season.
He’s a very skilled player with the ability to get to the rim and finish
and create his own shot, but he’s not always as aggressive as I’d like. He was clearly overshadowed playing alongside
Williamson and Barrett at Duke, but it was concerning how he seemed to lose
interest on both ends of the floor way too often. He often lacked toughness and disappeared for
long stretches, and I’m afraid this trend could continue at the next level. If he can figure out how to stay engaged and
aggressive he could end up being a really solid player, but I think he was taken
a little high at #10.
Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota clearly liked Jarrett Culver, as they gave
up Dario Saric and the 11th pick to move up and take him at #6. They then added another combo guard in Jaylen
Nowell with the 43rd pick.
While I do like Culver and think he’s a very good addition, I believe
they got even more value from their second-round selection of Nowell.
Jaylen Nowell is a strong, athletic, and extremely
skilled shooting guard. He’s a great
shooter with a phenomenal mid-range game, and he can get his shot whenever he wants. He plays with tremendous confidence, and he’s
got a great handle that allows him to get where he needs to on the court. He’s a very good finisher around the rim, and
he uses head and shoulder fakes well to create space. He plays at his own pace, and he changes
speeds effectively to create for himself and his teammates. He’s very good at getting his defender off
balance, and from there he can hurt his opponent with his scoring and passing
ability. Nowell is a good defender as
well, using his anticipation and length to disrupt his opponent.
Jarrett Culver is an extremely versatile player who
can play three positions on both ends of the floor. He’s strong, long, and athletic, and plays
with great energy and aggression. He’s a
tough competitor and lockdown defender who led arguably the best defense in the
country last year. He’s a very good ball
handler who uses his strength to get to the rim at will, and once he gets there
he finishes extremely well.
Culver outplayed R.J. Barrett when they played early
last season, but it was the end of that game that really exposed Culver’s main
weakness. Culver is not a great shooter
yet, and he settled for way too many threes at the end of that game. He’s a decent shooter when set, but he has to
get a lot better with his shot footwork to be able to create shots for himself. He’s got a long way to go to become a star
and go-to guy in the NBA, but he has an incredible work ethic and I expect him
to do everything he can to continue improving.
Golden State Warriors
After devastating injuries to two of their best players
late in the NBA Finals, it was extremely important for the Warriors to do well
in this year’s draft. In true Golden
State fashion, they did exactly that by drafting Jordan Poole with the 28th
pick.
Jordan Poole’s college underutilization reminds me a lot of
Devin Booker. Poole played off the ball
almost exclusively at Michigan, limiting the impact he could have
offensively. Most of the time he was
running off screens trying to get open for threes, and while this is something
he does extremely well, it’s only one facet of his well-rounded offensive game.
Poole has a sneaky good handle, and he’s able to get by his
man rather easily. He can attack the rim
and finish with power or finesse. He’s a
great passer as well, and he makes good decisions with the ball in his hands. He’s able to create his own shot, and he’s a
great shooter from all over the floor with extremely deep range. He shoots it well off the bounce and the
catch. If the shot isn’t there for him he
has the vision to spot an open teammate, but he wasn’t used in a playmaker role
nearly enough in college. He’s the
perfect guy to fill in for Klay Thompson while he rehabs his knee, and because
of the injuries Poole could very well have a major role right off the bat.
Poole is a defensive standout as well. He’s good on the ball and in the passing
lanes, and his Michigan team was one of the best defensive squads in the
country. Poole is very strong with great
quickness and athleticism, and he’s able to guard multiple positions. He could be a better rebounder, but he also
played with some good rebounders so many times they were getting gobbled up by
teammates.
Jordan loves the pressure moments and has hit many clutch
shots over his career. He has a lot of
star qualities, with my only complaint being that he didn’t impose himself
enough over his two college seasons. I’m
going to attribute this mostly to coaching and his lack of touches, and with
the ball in his hands Poole could become a much more impactful player. What a great fit for Golden State.
I don’t know much about Alen Smailagic, but he played for Santa
Cruz and the Warriors clearly saw enough in him to reacquire him from the Pelicans
when they drafted him 39th.
They then added an experienced college champion in Eric Paschall, a guy
who can certainly contribute off the bench.
Paschall is an extremely tough competitor, and he brings a
versatile skill-set on both ends of the floor.
He’s a good rebounder and defender who improved his game drastically in
his senior season. He developed a solid
handle with the ability to get by his man.
He made himself into a threat from all over the floor and into a player
the defense had to respect. He’s extremely
strong and athletic and plays with tremendous effort.
The 2nd round moves didn’t wow me, but the
Warriors nailed it with the selection of Jordan Poole. The talent at the top of this draft will keep
him from winning Rookie of the Year, but it won’t shock me at all to see him on
the All-Rookie 1st team.
LA Clippers
I love the toughness and grit of the current Clippers
roster, and the selections of the two Florida State products fit the mold perfectly.
Mfiondu Kabengele was slightly hidden at Florida State, and
as a result he was a steal at #27. He
came off the bench and didn’t play nearly as many minutes as he should
have. He’s extremely long and athletic,
and he plays with a passion and intensity that’s a great predictor of long-term
success. Players with his will and
determination always get better.
Kabengele’s size and length allow him to do almost anything
he wants on the floor. He’s a beast on
the boards and around the rim, and it’s scary to think how good he can be as he
continues to get stronger and more fluid.
His toughness allows him to play stronger than he actually is, and he
still has a lot of room to grow and add muscle.
He plays with relentless aggression on both ends, making him incredibly
tough to deal with at all times. He and
Montrezl Harrell will eventually form one of the most ferocious frontcourts in
the league.
Kabengele is a very good shooter with 3-point range, and he’s
going to continue getting even better.
He finishes high above the rim with power, and there’s not many guys
that can really contest him when he goes up strong. His game is still kind of raw in many areas,
a fact that should really terrify future opponents.
Kabengele is also a load defensively with his size, length,
and effort. He defends the rim and
dominates the glass, and as he continues to polish his skills he’ll be in the
perfect spot more often. This guy is
going to put in the work to be great.
The Clippers also selected lockdown defender Terance Mann
with the 48th pick. Mann is a
ferocious competitor with a relentless motor, and he uses his extreme length
and athleticism to make life difficult on his opponents. He’s a guy that has a much larger impact on
the game than his stats typically suggest, and he’ll no doubt be asked to guard
the elite superstars of the game on a regular basis.
In addition to his incredible defensive ability, Mann has evolved into a very serviceable offensive player as well. He’s very good in transition with the ability to lead the break, dish to a teammate, or finish with power at the rim. He’s also developed into a pretty good shooter with three-point range, and there’s no doubt he’ll carve out a role in the NBA.
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards had a great draft, picking up
two versatile wing players that can help immediately on both ends of the floor. Both Rui Hachimura and Admiral Schofield have
tons of winning college experience and can do a little bit of everything.
Rui Hachimura made massive leaps in his game this
season. He’s always played with great
effort and energy, but this year the game really slowed down for him. He’s very strong with great size and length,
and now he has a polished skill-set to go with it.
Rui has great body control and finishes everything around the
rim. He’s got a good handle, and he can
use it to create open looks for himself or teammates. He’s deadly in the mid-range game, but he’s
also able to get by his man off the dribble or post-up and finish with an array
of moves. He’s shown incredible footwork
in the post, and he’s developed a nice turnaround hook. He uses his strength very effectively to grab
rebounds and finish through contact around the basket.
Rui plays with constant aggression and is always on the
attack. This year it was much more
controlled, and he was able to read the game and make the right play instead of
simply going hard towards the rim. He’s
become a very good passer capable of seeing the entire floor, and with his
activity the defense can never relax.
Hachimura proved to be a clutch player this season, hitting big shots down the stretch in Gonzaga’s biggest games. He clearly wants the ball with the game on the line, and he’s shown he’s more than capable of delivering. He’s at his best in the mid-range game and around the rim, but he’s added the ability to hit the three. His shot can get flat at times however, and becoming even more consistent from long-range will take him to the next level.
Rui’s size, strength, athleticism, and all-out effort make
him a great defender as well. He’s an
intelligent player who knows where to be, and he’s truly become an all-around
player without any weaknesses. He’s
ready to step in and play right away, and he’ll end up fitting in very nicely
with the current roster.
The Wizards made a smart move to trade for Schofield after he
was taken #42 by the 76ers. Much like
Hachimura, Schofield is extremely strong and plays with great passion and effort. He’s a good shooter with deep range, and he’s
clutch with the game on the line. He’s a
good rebounder and passer, and while his ball handling could use some work, he’s
able to use his strength and toughness to get where he wants to go. He’s sneaky athletic when he’s able to gather
a head of steam, and he’s not afraid to take flight and challenge bigs at the
rim. His strength and competitiveness
make him a solid defender as well, and I fully expect him to contribute right
away.
Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets didn’t have a pick in this year’s draft,
but they ended up heavily involved after trading for one of this draft’s most
intriguing players. Bol Bol was
highly-rated coming out of high school, but after missing nearly the entire
season with a foot injury teams were clearly concerned. He fell all the way to #44 where the Miami
Heat selected him, but Denver was obviously paying close attention and quickly
moved to trade for him.
Bol Bol is probably
the biggest risk/reward player in this draft.
He has a chance to be one of the most unique players the game has ever
seen. He’s a good shooter with deep
range, and at 7’3” he has an uncanny ability to make off-balance type
shots. His great size and length allow
him to get his shot off whenever he wants, and he’s shown a very nice touch
around the rim. He passed the ball very
well out of double teams in his limited time on the floor this season, but
there’s plenty of reason to be concerned about his future.
Bol Bol is extremely
thin, and he injured his foot early and missed the entire season. Before the injury he was putting up good
numbers, but his team was struggling and he was showing a lot of holes in his
game. He was having a lot of trouble
holding rebounding position and doing a very poor job blocking out his
man. Oftentimes he would just stand
there, relying on his extreme height and length to grab the rebounds. While this worked against some teams whose
biggest players were more in the 6’7” range, it won’t cut it against bigger,
stronger, NBA players. Bol Bol will have
to get a lot stronger and more disciplined to be an effective player at the
next level.
Defensively Bol Bol
blocks and effects many shots with his length, yet his overall defense leaves a
lot to be desired. His awareness is not
great, and he’s often slow or late on his rotations. It’s obvious that he never had to work really
hard on that end in high school, and as a result he’s developed a lot of bad
habits. He often appeared extremely lazy
defensively, simply standing there and waiting to get the ball back.
Denver is the perfect
team to take a risk on Bol Bol. They’re
coming off a year where they finished 2nd in the West, and it won’t
hurt them too badly if he never pans out. He could easily keep getting injured
and fail to ever put in the work to round out his game, but the Nuggets will be
just fine if this happens. On the other
hand he could turn out to be a dominating presence on both ends, so I think it
was a great move to take a chance on him after he fell so far. It will take some great coaching and a
top-notch strength program to help Bol Bol reach his enormous potential, but at
#44 he’s definitely worth the risk.
Dallas Mavericks
The Mavericks traded their only pick when they sent
Deividas Sirvydas to the Pistons. While
I don’t know much about their 37th pick, I love what they got in
return. Detroit sent their 45th
pick Isaiah Roby to Dallas, a player who will be a perfect fit on the front
line alongside Kristaps Porzingas.
Isaiah Roby will be one of the biggest steals in this year’s draft. He’s got a tremendous skill-set for a player his size, and he’s just starting to realize how good he can be.
Roby has great size, strength, and athleticism, and he’s got
every skill you’d want on both ends of the floor. He’s got a good handle that allows him to get
where he needs to go. He can drive by
his man and finish extremely well around the rim, or pull-up for a mid-range
jumper. He’s a very good shooter with
deep range, but he’s also more than capable of creating open looks for a
teammate. He’s a great passer for a big,
and he understands the game well enough to usually make the right play. He uses pump fakes well to create space and
open shots, and he makes tough finishes through contact.Isaiah Roby will be one of the biggest steals in this year’s draft. He’s got a tremendous skill-set for a player his size, and he’s just starting to realize how good he can be.
Roby needs to be more aggressive and look for his shot more,
and it looks like he’s starting to figure that out. He became more confident as the year went on,
and he was one of the best players at the NBA Combine.
Isaiah Roby is also a tough defender and rebounder. He protects the rim and cleans up his
teammate’s mistakes. He has good
anticipation and wreaks havoc in the passing lanes. Roby is already a very good player, but he’s
just scratching the surface of what he could potentially become. He’ll fit in nicely with Doncic and
Porzingas, making the Mavericks yet another team that’s looking ready to
compete for a playoff spot in the West.
The Blazers only had one pick, but they were fortunate to
have Nassir Little drop to them at #25. Little
isn’t quite ready for a major role in the NBA, but he has the physical tools to
develop into a big-time player.
Nassir Little is a ferocious competitor and freakish athlete
who was held back at UNC. Roy Williams
has a pattern of keeping young players on the bench to “teach lessons,” and
Nassir was no different. Sure he
probably missed some assignments defensively and may not have mastered the
playbook early on, but this kid has a lot of special qualities and would have
caught on much quicker by playing. As a
result both Little and UNC didn’t develop quite as much as they should have,
and Nassir ended up being a steal because of it.
Little is extremely strong with a huge vertical leap. He’s an explosive finisher at the rim and he
plays as hard as anyone. His effort and
intensity make him the first to more than his share of loose balls and plenty
of rebounds, and he gives his team an infusion of energy. Little is a good shooter with 3-point range,
but he’s still pretty raw in most facets of the game.
Nassir’s ball handling isn’t the best. He has a hard time getting all the way to the
basket or creating his own shot, and he often looked out of control this
season. He also needs to improve his
touch around the basket, but with his work ethic and competitive drive I think
he will. He probably needs to spend some
time in the G-League to polish his game.
Little is a really tough on the ball defender, but he still
has some work to do in help position. It
often appeared that Little was thinking too much rather than just reacting, and
I fully expect him to continue improving in all aspects as he gets more
experience. He showed an impressive
ability to block shots at the rim, and he consistently gave us glimpses of the
force he could become. Nassir Little has
star potential, but he still has a ways to go.
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